When Worlds Collide
by Universal-Treker
Summary: This is the first chapter of my story that I've been hacking away at for the past three years. It's a crossover between TNG, STV, TOS, DS9, & Enterprise. Chapter 4 is now up. Please R&R!!! I want to know how you like it! Thanks
1. Discovery

The research lab was dead quiet except for the whistling of Harold, the night watchman. He leaned back in his chair and started in on the old "I Dream of Genie" song. "I Dream of Genie" was a television song from the 1960's.  
  
"Most people don't even remember television, let alone what used to be on it," He mused, "What a waste." He sighed and got to his feet, "Computer, what time is it?"  
  
"The time is o-one hundred hours, fifty-seven minuets." The computer's calm voice replied.  
  
"Close enough," Starfleet regulations required that he searched the lab every 45 minuets for intruders, but he did it every fifteen.  
  
When Harold had been younger, all he had ever wanted was to be a starfleet officer. Unfortunately when the time had come, he hadn't made the cut. So when he had gotten this watchman's job, he had been esthetic. His friends had told him that the only reason he had gotten the job was because it was something so easy, they wouldn't even waste a first year cadet on it. He ignored them and vowed to do the best job he could.  
  
He made his way through the rows of deserted computer terminals and shelves of equipment, shining his wrist beacon around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement and he spun around. Harold cautiously moved forward with one hand hovering over his phaser. A computer screen in the corner was merrily flashing at him.  
  
"Must have been left on," he said to himself. He reached to turn it off when he noticed what was flashing on the screen.  
  
FILE DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS.  
  
He felt something prick him in the back of the neck and he tried to turn, but a hand was clasped on his shoulder not allowing him to move. The prick didn't feel like a hypospray. It felt like two needles had been inserted into his neck, but he could feel them wiggling around.  
  
Harold's eyes grew heavy and he tried to stay on his feet, but he heard his phaser clatter to the ground and he followed in suit seconds later. His eyes grew blurry and he could hear the computer announcing in its usual calm voice that the file download was complete, and then all went dark.  
  
* * *  
  
Captain Picard hadn't been to San Francisco for quite some time and now he was unsure why he had been ordered to pay a visit. He had been in his ready room onboard the Enterprise E, when he had received a puzzling communiqué from Admiral O'Conwell.  
  
The Enterprise had been docked at the space station orbiting Earth, undergoing repairs from a recent ion storm. The Admiral had simply told him to report to one of the many laboratories at starfleet Headquarters. Nothing more. So now, as he turned a corner, his curiosity grew even higher when he saw seven security guards holding phaser rifles guarding the entrance to the lab.  
  
When they saw him approach, they parted allowing him to enter. Of all the different scenarios that Picard had expected to see when he entered the lab, the one that met him hadn't even crossed his mind. There where two people in the lab, one was Admiral O'Conwell, and the other was Lieutenant Commander Shelby.  
  
A kind of fear and dread started to form in Picard's chest. Shelby was the current officer in charge of planning defensives against the Borg. That meant whatever had happened here had to do with the Borg.  
  
O'Conwell had just handed Shelby a PADD when he looked up and noticed Picard. "Jean-Luc, I'm glad you could make it. We have an issue of the sort, and would like your input on it."  
  
"What happened?" Picard asked. Shelby handed him her PADD.  
  
"Last night, a watchman was attacked. He was injected with Borg nanoprobes via injection tubules," she paused and looked at him, "But here's the unusual part, the nanoprobes weren't programmed to assimilate or even kill, they were simply programmed to knock him out for several hours."  
  
"Are you sure there real nanoprobes?" Picard asked, "Someone could be using them to distract us."  
  
"When we had arrived, most of the probes had self destructed, but we found a few. They're being tested, but so far they look authentic." Shelby gestured to the PADD. "The attack on the watchman isn't the only evidence of Borg activity. There's a Borg encryption code blocking the terminal that was used for the download and we can't gain access to it by any other means. With it on there we can't even tell what was downloaded or even possibly uploaded."  
  
"Since when did the Borg become covert?" Picard wondered aloud, "It goes against their whole nature." He looked up at Shelby and O'Conwell. "Did anybody detect any unusual ships in the vicinity last night?"  
  
"There were six starfleet vessels docked in and around McKinley station at the time of the attack. Two were Nebula class, an Ambassador class, a Yorkshire, and one Intrepid class, plus the Enterprise of course. There was also a Klingon freighter." O'Conwell frowned, "None of those ships seem promising." He scrolled further down the list, "A meteor shower near Jupiter and a report on that new micro black hole. Nothing here really seems relevant. I don't see how..." he stopped short and scrolled back up the list.  
  
"Admiral?" Shelby asked, "Did you find something?"  
  
"Maybe, but I'm not sure." He scanned the information again. "One of the satellites in orbit of Saturn picked up what resembles the rudimentary power out puts of a pioneering warp signature emitting from one of the denser pockets of gas in one of Saturn's rings."  
  
"Then that has to be it," Shelby proclaimed, "Why didn't the computer notify us sooner?"  
  
"Because the computer's still not sure it's a warp signature," Picard cut in. He had called up the information on his own PADD, and was now scanning through it, "It didn't think it was relevant because it was so faint and such and old system. In fact I'm surprised Admiral O'Conwell spotted it. I doubt even Data would have ciphered it out so quickly." Picard smiled to him.  
  
"I got lucky." O'Conwell said, "I happened to have studied early warp drive systems at the academy."  
  
"Either way," Picard continued, "It's like nothing we've ever seen," He looked meaningfully at Shelby, "Including the Borg."  
  
"Regardless of what the computer thinks," Shelby said, "I think we should send someone out there."  
  
"I agree," O'Conwell said nodding. He turned to look at Picard, "The space station reports that the Enterprise will be ready within the hour. I want you to go out there and get to the bottom of things. If it is a ship, I want you to bring them into custody until we can get this cleared up."  
  
Picard nodded and started to leave. When he reached the door, O'Conwell spoke again, "And Jean-Luc, if it is the Borg, I know you'll handle the situation exemptly." Picard nodded again and left.  
  
* * *  
  
Commander William Riker had never relay gotten quite used to the Enterprise E. It wasn't like he got lost easily or couldn't remember what deck transporter room three was on. It was just the little things. Like now.  
  
He stepped on the bridge expecting the horseshoe shaped command center with light colors and the three command chairs in the center, but instead he found the top of the line cutting edge starfleet technology. Riker figured it would be a very long time until he expected anything else. The Enterprise D had been his home for seven years after all. The Enterprise E's bridge was a sharp contrast from his predecessor.  
  
The new bridge was more darkly lit and instead of ramps three stairs lit by blue lights separated the two levels. The biggest difference though had to be that the captain's chair was once again isolated like on the earliest models of the Enterprise. He headed for the command chair and as Riker approached, a lieutenant stood to allow him to sit.  
  
"Report," Riker asked.  
  
The lieutenant who had just given up the command chair had taken up ops and was going through the ship wide reports. "All systems are operational, and the space dock reports that we can depart within the  
  
Hour."  
  
"Good, let me know when Captain Picard beams back aboard."  
  
"He just did sir."  
  
Riker leaned back in his chair, "Well than thank you lieutenant."  
  
"Picard to Riker."  
  
"Riker here," He said answering his communicator, "Go ahead."  
  
"Assemble the senior staff in the observation lounge."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"And Will, have Data go over the information that Admiral O'Conwell should be sending us, see if he can help with their problem."  
  
"Understood sir."  
  
"Picard out."  
  
Riker sat for a moment. If he hadn't been mistaken, he thought he detected a note of worry in Picard's voice.  
  
* * *  
  
The conference room was dead quiet as the last of the senior officers sat down. Picard sat at the head of the table looking over the information that Data had come up with. He looked up and realized that everyone had arrived. He put his PADD down and folded his hands on the table. He noted that Riker sat to his left with Deanna Troi next to Riker. Data sat to Picard's right followed by Geordi LaForge and Doctor Beverly Crusher.  
  
"The Borg have proved to be an ever present danger, and last night they marked another attack on the Federation. A night watchman was attacked in a lab and he was injected with Borg nanoprobes. The puzzling thing is that the nanoprobes weren't programmed to assimilate or even kill. They simply knocked him out for several hours."  
  
"Is he alright?" Doctor Crusher asked.  
  
"Yes, the doctor who examined him believes he should be fine."  
  
"I'll look over the doctor's reports and see if I can get a sample of the nanoprobes to analyze. Try to find out if they're of Borg origin, or weather they're knock off's." Crusher shrugged, "We can always hope."  
  
Picard continued, "The nanoprobes aren't the only evidence of Borg activity. An encryption code was erected around the computer code used. They can't even tell what information was possibly copied or downloaded." He turned to Data, "Mr. Data, have you made any progress on cracking the code?"  
  
"I believe that I have captain, but who ever erected that code around the computer core know that it could be broken." He gave them a quizzical look, "I have determined that they used this particular encryption code on purpose."  
  
"Why would the Borg bother using an encryption code if they knew it could be broken?" Troi asked, "This doesn't seem like a normal Borg attack."  
  
"The thing about the encryption code is yes, we can break it, but it will take exactly 96 hours from the time the counter code is initiated for it to punch through," Geordi LaForge shrugged, "Obviously what ever is going to happen will happen within that time frame."  
  
Riker leaned forward with his elbows on the table, "Isn't there a way to speed up the process?"  
  
Data considered for a moment, which meant he was figuring calculations, "According to simulations Geordi and I have been running, in the last 24 hours the counter code may accelerate by 0.0000196 milliseconds giving us an estimated extra 15 minuets."  
  
"Admiral O'Conwell doesn't want to wait four days to see what will happen. He wants us to investigate. A possible warp signature was detected in one of the rings of Saturn. If it is a ship, we have permission to track them down and bring them in." Picard told his staff.  
  
"It would take a long time for us to reconfigure the Enterprise to enter Saturn. I suggest using one of the shuttle crafts." LaForge's bright blue ocular implants still managed to sparkle with enthusiasm somehow, "It shouldn't take long. It'll be ready by the time we get there."  
  
"Good," Picard said, "Data go ahead and join him." He turned to face them all, "I want you to keep in mind that even if there is a ship out there, it might not be the one we're looking for so keep your eyes open for other possibilities." He drew himself up and nodded, "Dismissed." 


	2. Inside Saturn

The newly modified shuttle from the Enterprise made it's way through the rings of Saturn trying to find the possible warp signature, but the ride wasn't easy. Saturn's rings were full of small chunks of rock and their shields were slowly degrading. The shuttle only had one hour in the rings before their shields would drop below a safe level. Riker sat in the pilot's chair maneuvering the ship around the larger chunks of rock and ice. He had agreed with Captain Picard and Geordi about arming the shuttle and keeping a minimal crew. The Borg weren't something to be taken lightly.  
  
"Sir, we're approaching the warp signal." Geordi, the only other crewmember, sat next to him in the co-pilot's chair, "It's still weak, but it is getting stronger."  
  
The mist and gas started to thicken as the shuttle crept forward. "If it weren't for sensors, we wouldn't know were this ship is until we crash into it." Riker muttered, "Now I know why traveling through class J planets is not recommended."  
  
Geordi nodded as he continued to search for the ship, "It should be right ahead." The gas suddenly cleared dramatically and a large dark object was floating in space. It was about twenty times the size of the shuttle and somewhat round.  
  
"Is it a Borg sphere?" Riker asked.  
  
"No, it's another chunk of rock, but it's what seems to be emitting the warp signal."  
  
"Scan it, but only passively. They might not know that we're out here yet."  
  
"It appears as though that is a large chunk of an asteroid, but it's hollowed out. I think that there is a ship about two thirds larger than our shuttle inside." Geordi looked up at Riker, "I'm detecting duck blind technology and it has a federation signature."  
  
"Do you think federation access codes would work on it?" Riker asked.  
  
"I could try." Geordi started entering codes into the consul and transmitted them, "Commander, something's happening." A large chunk of the asteroid disappeared revealing a large hole in the side of the rock. Landing lights flicked on in and around the hole.  
  
"I guess that's out welcome mat." Riker smiled.  
  
"I'm not detecting any life signs inside, but that ship is pretty heavily shielded."  
  
Riker thought things over for a moment, "I'm going to land us inside." He glided the shuttle inside and lightly touched it down. They both looked out the windows at their surroundings. It was simply like being in a large cave. The walls were rough and the only evidence that it wasn't a natural cavern, were the large lights and the landing pad.  
  
"There's the ship emitting the signal." Geordi pointed out the window and Riker noticed that it had and almost starfleet look to it."  
  
"Can you tell if there's any people on board or is it still to heavily shielded?"  
  
"It's still too strong, but I can get readings off the asteroid. Other than this hanger bay, there are other caverns in the asteroid, but there not nearly as large. It looks like there are a few tunnels connecting a total of five rooms. One of the rooms contains a generator that's supplying power to the whole facility."  
  
"That would explain how they could run a duck blind." Riker said nodding.  
  
"Yeah, but the duck blind will run out of power in less than two hours. When that time comes, this cargo bay will be bombarded with the small bits of rock, ripping anything in here apart. Whoever built this wasn't planning on using it for long."  
  
"Can you tell what other systems are powered by the generator?" Riker asked.  
  
Geordi brought up the list and read through it, "Artificial gravity in the landing bay, lights, oxygen and gravity in the tunnels. It also looks like there might be a transporter pad down there."  
  
"So there's no oxygen in the bay?" Riker asked gesturing outside.  
  
"Nope, I think they designed it that way to have more available power to the shields. There's an air lock over by the ship, but it requires an access code and a retina scan to open it."  
  
"I guess I now understand why the front door was so easy to open."  
  
"Commander, something is starting to disrupt our shields. They're dropping quickly, fifty percent, forty-five, twenty, shields are down!" Riker felt a tingling sensation pass over him and he instantly recognized it. Somebody was trying to beam them out of the shuttle. He tried to turn to tell LaForge to raise the shields, but he found that Geordi was all ready trying, but his hands just passed through the consul. Riker braced himself. There were hundreds of ways a person could be intentionally killed with a transporter and plenty of them were within transporter range. He could feel himself starting to materialize and now he was standing. He and LaForge had reappeared in what looked like a small cargo storage area. There was a computer monitor in the corner, but its screen was dark. A few lockers lined the back wall and a door was at the back.  
  
LaForge went to it, but as Riker had suspected it was locked. Suddenly gas started to flood into the room in light green billowing clouds. Riker slapped a hand over his mouth as did Geordi, but they could only last so long without air. Geordi's eyes started to droop closed and Riker felt his knees start to give out. LaForge slumped to the floor, and Riker tried to make his way over to him, but the gas was too strong. Soon he was on the floor with Geordi. The room started to spin and it spun faster and faster until it stopped abruptly and went pitch black.  
  
* * *  
  
Riker awoke to the sound of voices. They were hushed, and it sounded like two people having a conversation. He didn't even think they knew he was there. Careful not to make any noise, he sat up. It felt like he was laying on what was the hardest and coldest ground he had ever been on. Plus all his mussels were cramped and stiff. He let out a stifled gasp, and the conversation abruptly stopped. He held his breath as everything was dead quiet for a moment, then they resumed talking.  
  
"I know you dislike the dark, do you want me to turn the light on?" a female voice asked.  
  
"No." a somewhat nervous male voice replied, "No, they may find us talking. This mission is too important. A lot's at stake." He tried to change the subject, "Does the captain have the information yet?"  
  
"I heard they got it from the lab at San Francisco, but they're not back yet." Riker took a deep breath. Whatever had happened to him, it had brought him straight to the culprits from the break in.  
  
"Is everyone in place?" The man asked.  
  
"Yes, the bidding starts in two days, but all the possible buyers have to be here in three hours. Something about they want to keep an eye on everyone." The woman sighed, "I hope the captain makes it in time."  
  
"Don't worry," he said, "Everything will turn out alright. With a family like ours, this'll be a piece of cake." Someone swallowed loudly and Riker thought he could hear the woman crying softly. "Come on Sam," the man continued, "everything will be back to normal before you know it." There was a shuffle of feet and the door opened to a brightly lit corridor. Riker shielded his eyes as the man and woman left. When the doors closed he climbed to his feet and stumbled around.  
  
"Geordi?" He whispered hoarsely. There was no response so he tried again, "Geordi, are you in here?" Again he was met with silence and he cursed loudly when he stubbed his toe on a crate. "Computer, one half lights." He hissed. Dim light filled the room and he finally found were he was. It was a storage room of a sort and there were crates scattered about, but that was it. There was no sign of Geordi. He reached for his commbadge and noticed that it was gone as well, as was his uniform. Now he was plainly dressed in black pants with a black shirt. Not exactly sharps contrast to his uniform, but still a change. He sat on a crate wondering how many days had passed and where the Enterprise was. 


	3. The 'Hospital'

Geordi LaForge sat on his white cot in a white room wearing what he figured was a white hospital gown, wondering how many days had past and were the Enterprise was.  
  
After being gassed at the asteroid, the next thing that he had remembered was waking up in this room. The room had been empty except for him, three cots, and one door. The door had of course been locked with no visible control panel to override.  
  
It felt like it had been hours since he had woken up, and he had wondered what had happened to Riker and were he was. When you're alone in a room there isn't a whole lot to do but wonder. He started to wonder who was handling Engineering and when, if ever, would Data die, and why he had been born blind.  
  
All these things swarmed into his mind and he started to wonder about more and more things when suddenly the door slid open. Two people entered and the door promptly shut behind them. One was a tall Vulcan man with upswept eyebrows and Geordi wondered how old he was. It was hard to tell with Vulcans. They could look thirty and actually be 100.  
  
A small girl with red hair and three small bumps down the center of her forehead stood next to him. They both were wearing the same white gowns as he was and the Vulcan nodded to one of the two cots left.  
  
"I have not seen a human in quite some time." The Vulcan said, "How long have you been here?"  
  
Geordi shrugged, "A few hours, I'm not sure really. How long have you been here?"  
  
"Two months, twenty-seven days, three hours. I am interested, what are you thinking now?"  
  
"What am I thinking?" Geordi sputtered, "What kind of a question is that?"  
  
"I am trying to form a hypothesis about what kind of tests are being preformed on us. If you do not wish to answer, I will retract my question."  
  
"I'm wondering about lot's of things all the sudden." Geordi said, "Like I wonder why that girl is just standing by the door. She hasn't moved a mussel since she came in."  
  
"Yes, what you say supports my theory. I believe that the rooms are being flooded with some sort of neuro waves that heighten the imaginative process. Unfortunately prolonged exposure to the waves causes a digression of the positive imaginative process, leaving the individual with the negative. They loose track of what is real and the negative possibilities. According to the patients who were still coherent, it's like a living nightmare."  
  
"Is that what happened to that girl?"  
  
"I'm guessing so, but I cannot tell because I have never seen her before now."  
  
Geordi got to his feet and went to the girl, "What do you remember?" he kindly asked, "Do you remember your mommy and daddy and your safe home?"  
  
She slowly looked up at him as though coming out of a trance, and the absolute hollowness of her eyes chilled him to the bone. It was like jumping into a frigid lake. He gasped with shock.  
  
"I killed them." She rasped in a low menacing voice. "They were my family. They loved and cared for me and I killed them all." Her voice grew louder and more forceful. "I was the captain's assistant, and I GOT THEM KILLED!" she was yelling now, tears streaming down her cheeks. "The ship blew up because of me. I spit on their graves by living. I want nothing more in the world than to rejoin them." Her voice dropped to a low whisper, "But you can't kill your self here. It's like you're in a holodeck with the safeties on. I suppose it's a fitting sentence for me to serve. Eternity to remember what I did, but if I had one wish, It would be to return to my family." She looked up at him again with those hollow eyes, "Don't worry, you'll soon find you have a crime to pay for as well." She went to the corner and slid down to the floor hugging her knees.  
  
"She is not a killer." The Vulcan said, "The murdering of loved ones is a common story here. I think it's because many people have loved ones who care for them and killing them would be their worst nightmare."  
  
"Are you saying I'll become like that?"  
  
"Probably, unless you can find some way to fight it." 


	4. Let The Bids Begin

Riker had learned that there was one constant about space stations no matter where you went and that was that they're always crowded. The one he found himself on was no different. He had decided to leave the storage room after thoroughly searching it and finding nothing. The door had been unlocked so he had crept out into the hallway. At first Riker had thought he was on a ship of some sort because of its long metal hallways, but then he had found a large promenade that was absolutely swarming with people. Some were species that he hadn't ever seen before. There were a few humans in the crowd, but the majority of the people wandering around were Klingons, Romulans, and Cardasians.  
  
It puzzled Riker because as far as he knew there were no space stations like this in Federation space. That meant he was a long way from home. He bumped into someone and turned around to apologize. Expecting a massive Klingon or perhaps a Cardassian, he instead found two humans. Both were men and both were dressed rather oddly.  
  
"Excuse us," the taller one said. He had short blond hair and a boyish grin. He wore a leather jacket, and what Riker thought were a pair of aviation goggles dangling around his neck. As far as Riker knew, they hadn't been used since the 1940's. The man's friend was somewhat shorter and looked like he had Asian heritage. He had black hair and was wearing a collared, light blue, button up the front shirt.  
  
"It's ok." Riker mumbled.  
  
"Hey Buster," he heard the taller man say, "have you registered for the auction yet?" the two wandered out of sight and Riker got pulled along with the current of the crowd. Movement started to slow and soon Riker was at a complete stop. He got up on his toes and tried to see past the two Klingons in front of him. It looked like he was in a line to go into a theater of a sort. The line started to move again and he stumbled and took a step back onto something soft.  
  
"Excuse me" came a voice from behind him. He turned around and found another human. This time there was a tall, thin, blond, woman. She was wearing some sort of strange metal jewelry and looked at him with a single raised eyebrow, "You are standing on my foot." She stated plainly.  
  
"I apologize." He said quickly stepping of, "So what's a girl like you doing in a space station full of Klingons and Cardasians?" Riker asked.  
  
"I accept the apology, but your attempt to make yourself more appealing in my eyes is futile." She stated it with no emotion and he couldn't tell if she was angry or trying to flirt. He decided that it was neither. She simply didn't want to talk with him. "My attendance to this auction is strictly business related."  
  
Riker picked up on it immediately, "You're going to this auction?" he asked, "What's it for? I mean what's being sold?"  
  
She looked at him suspiciously, "Why would you be here if you didn't know what was being sold?"  
  
He shrugged and gestured to the space station, "I'm just passing through." She gave him such a piercing look that he was sure she was reaching inside his mind and searching for the information. It seemed like she could see right into his mind. She studied him for a minute longer, "You're lying."  
  
"Are you sure? Can't a man just wander the galaxy?"  
  
"Weather a man can 'wander the galaxy' or not is irrelevant. You are lying because the only people here came specifically for the auction, therefore perhaps I should notify security. It could be that you are a spy.  
  
They were moving closer to the doors. "We're almost to the theater." He told her, "I'm sure you don't want to miss the auction over such a small thing like this."  
  
"Agreed," she said as they entered. She then turned on her heals and left.  
  
Riker suspected that her departure had nothing to do with missing the auction. Perhaps like him, she wasn't supposed to be here and she had spotted security of some sort. He scanned the vaccinate, but it didn't look like anyone was taking any special interest in him.  
  
Most of the crowd was now sitting and he made his way towards an empty seat in the back. It was next to a Klingon woman who, like most Klingons on the station, was decked out in full Klingon battle armor. "quSDaQ ba'lu"a'?" (Is this seat taken?) He asked in Klingon.  
  
She looked up at him with surprise, "No, this seat isn't taken, or at least not that I know of." Her voice wasn't as rough as most Klingon's and he almost felt welcome, or as welcome as a Klingon could make you feel. Something about her appearance nagged at him though. He tried to get a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, but refrained from staring at her. There was movement on the stage and what happened next made him completely forget about the woman next to him.  
  
Three figures appeared on the stage, a Vulcan, a small girl, and Geordi LaForge. They were wearing hospital gowns and Geordi was talking to the tall Vulcan next to him. The room had grown dead quiet with the appearance of the three and Riker strained to hear what they were saying. However, he found that he couldn't, but from their body language he could tell it was about the small girl.  
  
They seemed oblivious to all the people watching them and Geordi slumped onto on of the cots that also occupied the stage. A man entered from the side of the stage and spoke. "Now you all know why you are here. You have received your long awaited peek at the prize of this auction." The man was short and he wore a lab coat with gray pants. His jet-black hair stuck out every which way and his deep violet skin glistened in the light. He reminded Riker of a true mad scientist. "The prize is these three test subjects and the biological weapon that will take down the Federation once and for all."  
  
He threaded his way through the three on the stage and they still didn't seem to notice his presence. It occurred to Riker that they must be holographic images, and that Geordi was being held somewhere else.  
  
"Three test subjects," he repeated, "All of which are at different stages of treatment." He walked over to Geordi. "This human subject has started treatment just seven hours ago. At this stage, the brain activity in his curiosity centers increases and the patient starts to wonder about every possibility of every decision they make. It becomes an obsession."  
  
He turned and walked away from LaForge heading in the direction of the Vulcan. "This Vulcan subject has been undergoing tests for nearly three months. Even though his Vulcan façade hides it well, brain scans reveal that he constantly has a negative out look on situations. This shows his positive thought processes are starting to degrade. But the most impressive subject is this small girl.  
  
"She has been undergoing the treatment for half a year and the test results are promising." He circled her as he talked and abruptly stopped, facing the audience, "This small girl believes she killed her family, and cannot be convinced otherwise. It is her own personal hell. She has tried to commit suicide several times." Out of the corner of his eye, Riker saw the Klingon woman straighten stiffly in the seat. With a small clicking noise, the three patients disappeared and were replace with the floating blue orb of Earth, surrounded with its cotton like white clouds encasing it. He stretched his arms wide, "Imagine Starfleet headquarters in this turmoil," the image changed again showing a brownish red planet, "Or Vulcan, or any of the other planets of the Federation. Think of the state they would be in.  
  
"The bidding chips for this auction are simple. All I ask for is information.  
  
Information is the most priceless object in my line of work. After I analyze the information I'll narrow it down to ten bidders. They will then have the next two days to bid for the grand prize. The rest of you will be escorted off the station and taken to what ever destination you request.  
  
"You have the next two hours to download the information you wish to bargain with. I'll then decide who will stay and who will go. In the mean time you're welcome to enjoy the food and recreation centers of this facility." With an extravagant flick of his wrist, he disappeared in a puff of smoke and Riker wondered if the scientist had been a holographic projection as well.  
  
After the scientist had departed, the people sitting in the crowd got up and made their way towards the exits. Riker lingered in his seat to try and think about what his options were.  
  
He could try to find were Geordi was being held and attempt to rescue him, but he had no means of escape. He could follow the bidder who won and then try to get to LaForge, but he doubted that would work because he'd get removed from the station whenever this mad scientist made up his mind.  
  
The safest way, he decided, would be to try and bargain for his friend. What he would bid with, though, was the problem. At his rank, he was entrusted with a plethora of information about the Federation. His dilemma was, what piece of information was interesting enough to want, but safe to give away to the enemy?  
  
He sat at a table in a large mess hall picking his way through a plate of roost beef and mashed potatoes, when he noticed the Klingon woman who had been sitting next to him standing at the replicator in the corner. She ordered something in Klingon and her food materialized in the slot.  
  
Riker was familiar with the Klingon language, but didn't recognize the food on her plate as any traditional Klingon dishes. Usually Klingon food resembled dark lumpy goop with the occasional gagh wiggling around in it. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye trying not to stare. He adverted his eyes and took a bite of his roost beef, but he still felt his eyes straying back to her. He knew it was suicide to provoke a Klingon in any way, but something about her appearance bothered him.  
  
She was now sitting at a table about ten feet from his and must have sensed his stares because she got to her feet and headed towards him. She approached his table and stood looking at him with her hands on her hips. "Can I help you with anything?" She asked in an annoyed voice.  
  
Realization of what bothered him finally hit. "No," he said, "I'm sorry, I was just dazing off, and I didn't mean any offense. The look she gave him confirmed his suspicions, and she stalked off. Riker didn't believe she was a real Klingon. He had recognized the food she had ordered as pancakes. Not exactly a Klingon delicacy, and when she walked in her battle armor she didn't seem as arrogant and confident as the run of the mill Klingon.  
  
The clincher was her forehead ridges. They were hardly pronounced and they barley extended onto her nose. He figured she must have surgically altered her self in order to attend this conference. Most Klingons had deep ridges with crinkled noses and long, wavy hair. Her hair was wavy, but it was less than shoulder length. She headed off to one of the downloading consuls. He wondered if she was the person who had broke into the Federation lab, but then again any of theses people could be. It would be impossible to track down the culprit if he got thrown off the station in a few hours. He made his decision and headed for the data consuls. He entered the information and stood back to look at his decision. The screen read:  
  
Name: Bill Martel  
  
Info: Detailed schematics on the U.S.S. Enterprise E 1701 and her crew.  
  
He was still having trouble with his decision. He wasn't planning on giving up any real information, but he wasn't sure how he'd get around that problem if he won. He submitted the information then wandered around the promenade for a while. In the center of the station he found one of the most beautiful spots he had ever seen.  
  
It was a large botanical garden full of exotic plants and a narrow stone path wove its way throughout the garden. He came to a spiral staircase that climbed up about two hundred feet. All the plants opened up and he found himself in a large domed room.  
  
The dome was covered with a star scape and it felt like he was floating alone in space. He stood for a while seeing if the star patterns were any that he recognized. He decided there weren't then he heard a comm channel being opened.  
  
"The decisions have been made. Would the following people please make their way to the Executive Lounge in section D, deck five. Sena Thompson, Malton, Jathlet, Zerber, Dantas, HoD Jan'tah, Buster Kincaid, Captain Proton, Annika Hansen, and Bill Martel." The channel crackled. "The rest of you please proceed to the air locks. The station must be cleared in less than twenty minuets." The hum and crackle faded, signifying the channel had closed. Riker glanced up at the star field again. He was one step closer to his goal. Riker just hoped the Enterprise was having luck tracking him down. 


End file.
